Telecommunication technologies allow two or more parties to communicate almost instantly, even over vast distances. In the early part of the last century, landline telephones became essentially ubiquitous in developed countries. More recently, cellular wireless telephone networks have emerged, allowing two or more parties to communicate with one another from virtually anywhere within a cellular network coverage area.
Videoconferencing has also emerged recently as a viable alternative to voice-only communication. A videoconference is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies, which allow two or more parties to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. Webcams are popular, relatively low cost devices that can provide live video streams via personal computers, and that can be used with a suitable software client for videoconferencing over the Internet.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software clients, such as for instance Skype®, support voice-only and/or videoconferencing communication between two or more parties. During use, the VoIP application is in execution on a computer or on another suitable device that is associated with a first party. The VoIP application, and other similar applications, typically provides a list of user names associated with other parties, including an indication of the current status of each of the other parties. Accordingly, a first user can determine when another user is online for a Skype to Skype (VoIP) chat or call, unless the other user wishes to remain hidden. When a second party appears to be available, the first party may attempt to initiate a communication session with the second party. For instance, the first party selects from the list a user name associated with the second party, and then selects an option for initiating a “call” to the second user. The VoIP application that is in execution on a computer or on another suitable device associated with the second party causes an alert to be issued, such as for instance playing a “ringing” sound via a speaker of the computer or other suitable device. In response to the alert, the second party answers the “call” originating from the first party.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to initiate a communication session when the VoIP application is not in execution on the computer or other suitable device that is associated with the second party. In a prior art system, when the VoIP application is not in execution, the first party merely receives a message indicating that the second party is not available, and is invited to leave a voice message for the second party. Of course, the second party does not receive the voice message until the next time the VoIP application is launched. Often, by the time the second party receives the voice message the first party is no longer interested in establishing a communication session.
It would be advantageous to provide a method and system for making video calls that overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned limitations of the prior art.